Hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced many musicians to flee New Orleans.  Jazz, blues, and other genres that are the city's musical score, cannot return until the musicians return.  Facing rising housing costs, a shortage of decent units, and a national mortgage crisis, the Musicians' Village is providing local musicians and other qualifiying partner families the opportunity to own a home in a thriving community of committed individuals and families.  Conceived by Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis, the Musicians' Village consists of 72 single-family, Habitat-constructed homes and 10 rental units for the older "music masters" of New Orleans.  Its centerpiece will be the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, dedicated to the music education and development of homeowners and others who will live nearby.

On January 9, 2006 NOAHH purchased eight acres of land in the Upper 9th Ward where the core area of the Musicians' Village is now located.  Construction began in March 2006 and as of October 2009, 72 single-family homes and 5 elder-friendly duplexes are complete!  In addition to the homes in the Musicians' Village core site, NOAHH has built and is building on over 90 lots in the surrounding Upper 9th Ward neighborhood.